


Operation True Love's Kiss

by captainswanapproved



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 17:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3217112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainswanapproved/pseuds/captainswanapproved
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cursed!Emma asks Killian to watch Henry while she goes to see her foster brother, Christopher Swan. Henry and Killian devise a plan to get her memories back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation True Love's Kiss

"Mom, you can trust him," said Henry. "I'll be fine."

Emma glanced over at the pirate. She still wasn't quite sure about him. He obviously loved her very much if he thought something as preposterous as True Love's Kiss would work on her. And her son trusted him.

It was enough for her. She hugged her son, and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you soon, Henry. I love you."

Killian flashed her a cheeky grin. "What, no goodbye for me?" he joked.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You wish," she said.

"Aye, that I do," he replied.

"Take care of him," she warned.

"As you wish, my lady," he said with a grin, his blue eyes flashing.

Emma blinked. Where had she heard that before? Other than in the Princess Bride, of course. "Okay, I'll be gone for an hour at most. It's just drinks." Emma said before leaving the apartment.

She was meeting her foster brother, Christopher Swan. It was a yearly tradition of hers. Normally she would have cancelled, but she really needed to talk to someone about the mysterious Killian Jones.

-/-

"So, you're in love with my mom, aren't you," said Henry, as soon as Emma was out of the apartment.

"Excuse me?" said Killian, feigning ignorance.

"Don't try and deny it. It's written all over your face when you look at her."

"You're quite perceptive, lad," he admitted.

"Yes, I am," said Henry, "but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. The better question is, where did you come from? You look like you stepped right out of a pirate movie, and you're wearing a glove on one of your hands. Is it fake?"

Killian blinked. How had he guessed?

Henry's eyes widened. "Are you Captain Hook?"

Killian gulped. "Well, I don't have my hook at the moment," he said.

"I'm right? Are you from the Enchanted Forest? Is it real?"

"Slow down, lad. I'll explain."

Henry nodded, and looked at him expectantly.

Killian gave a brief version of what had happened since he met Emma. He ended with an explanation of a the new curse. "I have a potion that I need her to drink, and you as well. It will restore your memories."

"Okay," said Henry. "I trust you."

"You do?"

"Of course. Anyway, every time we watch Peter Pan, I always get a weird feeling. My mom also has always had a thing for Captain Hook. It must be faint traces of our old memories."

"Your ability to believe is amazing, lad. But that shouldn't surprise me."

"Where's the potion?" asked Henry.

"Here," said Killian, withdrawing it from his coat pocket, handing it to the boy.

Henry uncorked the bottle and drank the potion. All of it.

The magic worked immediately. "I remember everything," said Henry, opening his eyes.

Killian grinned at the boy. "Glad to have you back, young sir, but why did you drink the whole potion? How are we going to get your mother to believe?"

"True Love's Kiss, of course," said Henry, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"I already tried it, lad," said Killian, trying to mask the hurt in his eyes.

"True Love's Kiss doesn't work when one person can't remember the other. The same thing happened with Snow and Charming, and Rumplestiltskin and Belle. You have to show her how you feel. Actions speak louder than words."

Killian's eyes widened as he was suddenly filled with hope. He knew Emma was his True Love, and he hoped she would know it soon as well. "I see, but how shall I do it? I already spent a year trying to find her, and I would do anything for your mother, but she doesn't remember me, or what we've been through together."

"Don't worry, Captain," said Henry with a grin. "She will, and it will be because you helped her remember who she is. It's time to put Operation True Love's Kiss into action."

"Isn't that a bit obvious for a code name," asked Killian, with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"That's the point. My mom doesn't believe in it yet, so she won't be worried," said Henry. Then he surprised Killian by throwing his arms around him.

Killian stiffened for a moment. No one had hugged him like this in a long time, especially not a child.

Henry stepped away with a sheepish grin on his face. "Thank you, Captain," said Henry.

"For what?"

"For helping to save me in Neverland. My family couldn't have done it without you. And thank you for coming to save my mom and me. Thanks for not giving up. Sure, we were happy, but it wasn't real."

Killian stared down at the boy. He had grown up so much in the course of a year. "I will never stop fighting for Emma."

"Good," said Henry, "You're a hero, Killian Jones, which is good, because it takes a hero to break curses and win the heart of a princess."

Killian fought back a single tear. No one had ever called him a hero before, and the fact that it was Henry Mills, the most important person in Emma's life, made it all the more special. "Thank you lad. Your belief in me means a lot. Let's hope that we'll get your mother to believe as well."

"Oh we will. True Love's Kiss can break any curse."

-/-

"He seems familiar," confessed Emma.

Her foster brother sat across from her. They were in a booth in the corner of the pub near her apartment. Emma had just told Chris everything that had happened that day.

He looked sympathetic. "Emma, this is the first time I've seen you in three years, but think back to when we used to get together when you lived in Boston. You always thought something was missing. And not just because you didn't have your parents."

Emma nodded. "I know. Then two years later Henry and I moved to New York. But it's weird. I don't even remember moving. I just remember driving with Henry in the Bug. Like we were leaving from somewhere. We moved to New York, because it suddenly meant more to me than Boston. Like something important had happened there. I dream about it once in a while. Driving in the bug, and then I get these strange flashes of faces I've never seen before, but they seem familiar. Am I making any sense? I must seem crazy."

"I would never call you crazy, Ems," said Chris, with a smile. "And I can assure you that my parents aren't in danger, so Killian Jones wasn't talking about the Swans. Maybe he really does know your real parents."

"But how would that even be possible?"

Chris shrugged. "There are a lot of strange things in this world, Emma. Maybe you should give this guy a chance to explain."

"Do you really think so? I'm happy with my life, and on the small chance that Jones isn't crazy, it could change forever."

"I know that you're happy, with Henry, but tell me something, has it ever really felt like enough?"

"No," admitted Emma, feeling guilty, because Henry should be enough for her. "Henry is my whole world, and I love him more than anyone, but when Killian showed up at my door, I felt something that I've never felt before. It was only for a second, but then it was gone."

"I think that it might be worth while to find what that something was," advised Chris. "You deserve to have love in your life, and you deserve a family. Maybe Killian Jones is the key to finding both."

"You always know exactly what to say, Chris. I'm sorry we don't keep in touch more often," she drained the last of her drink.

"It's okay. I know it's hard for you. Come on, Emma. You should get back to Henry."

"Okay," Emma slid out of the booth, teetering on her five-inch heels. Chris gripped her hand lightly to steady her, and they walked out of the pub together.

Chris hugged her, and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodbye Emma. I hope everything works out. Call me if you ever need anything."

Emma sighed and stepped away as Chris got into a taxi. "Okay," she said, but when she looked away she saw Killian and Henry walking towards her. Henry must've heard her on the phone when she was talking to Chris earlier that day.

Her eyes moved to Killian, and her stomach dropped at the hurt written all over his face. He must've seen, and misinterpreted Chris's goodbye.

Emma couldn't explain why she cared, and why she wanted to explain it all away and make sure that Killian understood that there was nothing romantic between her and Chris. She didn't know Killian Jones, or if she did, she didn't remember him.

Still, she felt his pain as if it were her own. Emma straightened her shoulders and took a few steps to meet her son and the pirate. "What are you two doing here?"

"I was worried about you," said Henry weakly, knowing that her superpower would detect the lie immediately. "Was that Mr. Swan?"

"Yes," said Emma. "How did you know?"

"I heard you on the phone earlier today," said Henry.

Emma glanced at Killian who was being oddly silent. "Well, let's get back to the apartment." She said to her son before turning to Killian, "Thank you for watching Henry."

Killian nodded. "Anything for you, Swan."

"Hey mom, can Killian stay over?" asked Henry. "We had a great time."

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?" she asked, suddenly worried that he'd be on his own. He might be a complete stranger, and perhaps he was crazy, but there was something about him, and her son trusted him. It had to mean something.

Didn't it?

"You need not worry about me, Swan. I'll manage," said Killian.

Emma shook her head. "You can stay on my couch. I owe you for taking care of my son."

"You don't owe me anything, Swan, but I will gladly accept your offer."

He glanced at Henry, who winked, but Emma was too preoccupied to notice. She'd never allowed a man to stay in her apartment.

"You alright there, Swan?' asked Killian, when she didn't move.

"I'm fine," she said, "Let's go home."

-/-

Henry and Killian sat at the kitchen table finishing cups of hot chocolate. Emma was in her bedroom changing into her pajamas.

"Phase one is in motion," said Henry with a small smile. "Trust."

"Aye, that it is," said Killian.

Emma wandered out of the room. "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing," said Henry, "I was explaining what hot chocolate is."

Emma was unconvinced, but she let it slide for the moment. "Well, Henry, you should get to bed."

"But Mom, its only 10:00," said Henry.

Emma silenced his protest with a look.

"Fine," said Henry, "Good night Mom. Goodnight Killian," he said.

"Good night, lad," said Killian, as the boy went to his room. Then he looked up at Emma, with a smile. "Something you wish to say to me, love?"

Emma flinched at the casual endearment. "Just that I've set up the couch for you," she said quickly.

"Much obliged, Swan," he said. "So, who was the gentleman from earlier." One look at Emma's face and Killian wished he hadn't asked.

"It's hard to explain," said Emma, feeling the hurt that he was trying to hide.

"Apologies, Swan," said Killian. "It's none of my business."

"He's like my brother," said Emma.

Killian was visibly relieved.

"Well," she said gesturing to the couch, "Goodnight, Killian. Thank you for watching Henry." She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before laying a hand on his cheek in a light caress.

Killian stiffened at the contact before leaning into her touch, and then the moment was gone.

Emma swore inwardly. What the hell was she doing? Why did he seem so familiar? She mumbled "good night," before running off to her bedroom.

"Good night, my love," said Killian, so softly that it was unlikely that she heard it.

But she did. And the words stayed with her in her dreams that night, along with images of a beanstalk, a ship, a dense jungle, and a small town in Maine.

-/-

Emma woke up before sunrise the next day. Her dreams had been filled with strange and confusing scenes, many of them featuring none other than Killian Jones.

She wanted answers, and maybe it was finally time to talk to him, and find out exactly how he knew her. But she would do it now, before Henry woke up.

Emma got out of bed and looked over at the clock. It was only 5:00 in the morning, but she didn't want to waste anymore time. She got out of bed and ran a brush through her long hair to remove the tangles, though why she cared about what Killian thought of her, she couldn't explain.

She left her room and made her way across the apartment as quietly as possible so she wouldn't wake Henry. Her heart actually skipped a beat when she saw Killian's sleeping form sprawled across her couch. He looked troubled, and he was mumbling something in his sleep. "I will find you, Swan, I will always find you."

Emma sucked in a breath. Was he dreaming of her?

"Killian," she said softly, "wake up." Then she touched his shoulder gently and his eyes snapped open, his gaze meeting hers immediately.

"Swan," he said, sleepily, "You're alright."

"Of course I am," said Emma. "We need to talk."

Killian sat up, "Aye, that we do." He patted the space beside him, but Emma opted to sit in the armchair beside the sofa. Killian grinned like he'd expected as much.

"So, you claim that you're an old friend and that my family is in trouble, but I don't remember you, and I grew up without a family. The two stories don't match up."

"A year ago your memories were taken away and replaced with new ones." said Killian, searching for the right words to explain the complicated situation.

Emma sighed. "Right, that sounds awfully convenient."

"Emma," said Killian, reaching out to take her hand, To his surprise she didn't pull away. "There must be some small part of you that remembers me, that trusts me. There must be some part of you that feels that something about this past year hasn't quite felt real. I can see it in your eyes."

Emma flinched. "How do you know that," she asked.

"You've always been an open book to me," said Killian. "You and I, we understood each other."

The words were familiar to Emma, as if she had heard them before. Suddenly, Emma remembered a diner. She was surrounded by strangers, but they all seemed familiar, and standing directly in front of her was Killian Jones. Emma gasped and pulled her hand away from him and the memory faded away.

"What is it?" asked Killian, looking concerned.

"Nothing," said Emma.

"For someone who has a superpower for detecting lies, you're not very adept at telling them yourself," said Killian with a smirk.

"How do you know about my superpower," demanded Emma.

"I told you, love, I know you. I lo-" he trailed off. Now was not the time to talk about his feelings. He had to get her to remember. Lives were at stake.

"You what," asked Emma, genuinely curious.

Killian didn't say anything. Despite what Henry had told him about True Love's Kiss not working with memory loss, there was still that possibility that he wasn't her True Love, that he wouldn't be able to bring back her memories. That she wouldn't believe in him.

It was if Emma could somehow sense his doubts. Her expression softened as she changed the subject. "Who are my parents?"

Killian held Emma's gaze for a long moment, and he saw a flash of the woman he loved. Despite her new, happy memories with her son, she was still the lost girl that dreamed of having a family. There was a flicker of hope in her beautiful green eyes, and it glimmered through the fog of the curse. Killian took a deep breath. "Snow White and Prince Charming."

"Fairytale characters?" asked Emma, her disbelief evident, "and that would make you Captain Hook?"

"There's my Swan, deflecting with sarcasm," he said with a small smile.

"Killian," said Emma seriously.

"Yes. You have always called me by my more colorful moniker, Hook," he said.

More familiar words. Something deep in her heart was telling her to listen to him. Chris had advised her to do the same.

"Okay, I'll make you a deal, Captain," she said, "I'll give you a chance to tell your story, to convince me that you're telling the truth. If you do then I'll do whatever I can to help you, but if I don't believe you then you have to promise that you will stay away from me and my son."

"If the lady insists," he said, with a slight bow.

Emma's heart clenched. The gesture and the words just seemed so achingly familiar.

Somewhere deep in her heart, a voice whispered, believe him, Emma.

-/-

The Enchanted Forest. The beanstalk. Storybrooke. Neverland. Storybrooke again. And now New York.

All of this talk about her being the Savior, curses and fairytale characters and magical realms; it all seemed crazy. But not even once had her lie detector gone off. No. Killian Jones was telling the absolute truth, and that scared the hell out of her because of what it meant.

This man had fought everyday for a year to find her. He had gone against impossible odds, and yet her he was, sitting in front of her, his brilliant blue eyes begging her to believe him. He had even tried True Love's Kiss because of his utter faith in what they had shared together.

No one had ever believed in her like that. Except for Henry.

"So my life with Henry has been a lie?" she asked, because that was the most difficult truth to swallow. She had been happy after 17 years of pain. She'd had her son, and a good life, and to find out that was all a lie, was heartbreaking. It was confirmation of the belief that she'd had as a little girl, the belief that she was a lost girl that would never find her family, or have a happy ending.

Killian's eyes lit up. "You believe me?"

"If what you say is true, I've been living a lie for the past twelve years," said Emma, her voice shaking.

Killian reach for her again, and she allowed him to take her hand. The touch was comforting, even amidst the painful revelation. "I am sorry, Emma," he said, his voice soft, "I know this is hard for you, but I also know that it's better to know the painful truth than to live a life of blissful ignorance. A year ago, you said that you wanted to return to the Enchanted Forest with all of us, but it was impossible. You had to stay with Henry so he wouldn't be alone. You made the right choice, the difficult choice. But now you have a chance to be with your family, and to be with your son in the right way. You can have your happy ending."

"And what about you?" asked Emma.

"I'm not important right now, Emma. Your happiness comes first. Yours and your son's. If you ask me to, I will leave you now and never bother you again. I will find another way to protect your family, and you can stay here with your son. But if you choose to trust me, I will do everything in my power to help you break this new curse, to reunite you with the family you were always meant to have. You deserve to be loved, Emma. You deserve to have a happy ending. The choice is yours." Killian's voice was rough and raw by the time he finished.

Emma could tell that giving her a choice to be without him was painful. Still, he was doing it. He was putting her happiness first. He was putting everything out in the open and still allowing her to choose what was best for her.

No one had done that for her. Not her parents, or Neal, or anyone in the foster system.

And it was this fact that made her believe him.

"I believe you," she finally whispered.

With those three simple words it all came back to her. She saw everything that had really happened over the past 12 years.

Giving up Henry. Becoming a bail bondsperson. Henry finding her on her 28th birthday, going to Storybrooke, breaking the curse, finding her family and then finding Killian Jones.

The man who had given up everything for her.

"Hook. " she said.

His smile could have lit the entire city of New York. "Emma, my beautiful, bloody brilliant Emma Swan."

"You found me," she said, moving to sit beside him on the sofa.

"Does that surprise you?" he asked with a grin.

"No," she said, smiling back at him. "You kept your promise. You came back for me. No one's ever done that for me."

"I will always fight for you, Emma, and for your happiness."

Emma felt tears in the corners of her eyes. Then, before she could second-guess herself, she pulled her to him and kissed him like her life depended on it. All of the pain of living without each other for a year was poured into the kiss. Everything that they felt for each other came to the surface. The details of her past became crystal clear, and with it came hope for the future, and hope for a happy ending with him, Henry, and her family. When they pulled apart she truly was Emma Swan again. Lost Girl. Mother. Savior.

"Let's wake up Henry and get our family back," she said, kissing him lightly again.

The words were simple, but the meaning was powerful. Killian 'Hook' Jones had brought back the real Emma Swan and in that one single moment she had made her choice. They were going to do this together. They were going to find their happy ending together.

"I will follow you to the ends of the earth, my love," he said.

Emma knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he meant it.

"Good," she said.


End file.
